Hello, and welcome to another installment of DMB Designer Diaries! Wehaven’t been around much lately, we know…after sending DMB off to beedited, we lapsed into a creative torpor from which we are only just nowstirring. Before I start discussing mech design in DMB, I have to answerthe question I’m sure you’re all asking: there is still no release date setfor DMB. Mr. Goodman has a lot of other things on his plate right now(*cough4Ecough*), but be assured that DMB hasn’t dropped off the face ofthe planet.

Now that’s out of the way, let’s have some fun! Let’s take a look at theDMB stats of a classic mech: the Barbagula.

This quick mech is favored by the Irontooth Clans, but sees use by other factions as well. Barbagulas are very effective in hit-and-run tactics. Normally they will charge with the lance, then trip the opponent with the changler. Once the opponent is down, it will usually be lance-charged repeatedly by other Barbagulas.

A classic design, the Barbagula is also an example of how mechs have changed in the last 20 years. The modern Barbagula has a crew of three, enough to man both of its weapons while still running the steam engine at full capacity; the original was a one-person mech. Barbagulas have also gotten larger, as have most mechs. The technology of Highpoint becomes larger as it gets more powerful, so engines and gear-and-pulley drives and even enchanted runestones take more space than they once did.

Irontooth purists complain about how these new mechs are ruining the next generation of mech jockeys. You’ll become soft and weak, they say, if you have to rely on two others to do something you should be doing for yourself. Younger Irontooth reply that working together means you can get more done, and only a fool turns their back on friends. Campfire discussions of this point sometimes turn heated, and if nothing else, it’s been shown that someone with two friends usually does better in a brawl than the lone wolf.

First we have the mech’s primary stats: its power source, maneuverability,armor, speed, and hold size. The power source and hold size determine manyof the mech’s secondary stats (such as crew size, structural integrity, anddamage bonus). The hold size also gives a rough idea of the physical sizeof the mech; even though the new Barbagula is larger than the original, itis quite small for a DMB mech.

To the right of the primary stats are all the mech’s weapons, gadgets, orother enhancements. The Barbagula has a couple small weapons, plus it isslightly faster and more maneuverable than other mechs of its size andpower source.

Below that is a table detailing the Barbagula’s weapons. It has only twoweapons, a lance and changler (short for “chain tangler”, it’s meant totrip or immobilize opponents). You’ll notice that each weapon has a numberafter its name. This is the weapon’s size. The size tells you how much ofthe mech’s available space (the hold) is taken up by the weapon, and someweapons also have a special effect tied into their size. The Barbagula’slance, for example, normally does +8 damage when used to make a meleeattack. However, if the mech made any forward motion this turn beforeattacking the lance’s size of 5 is added to the normal damage of 8 for atotal of +13. The changler’s size determines its bonus when making tripattacks.

The mech’s secondary stats come next. Though the Barbagula only requires 3crew members, this particular Barbagula has 2 extra just in case. Each crewmember takes up one hold, so 5 crew plus two size 5 weapons takes up everybit of the Barbagula’s 15 hold.

DMB mech creation is entirely point-based, and so the base cost of the mech(determined by the power source, hold size, and armor type) is listedfirst, and the total cost (base cost plus all the extras) is last. So thatis DMB mech schematics in a hopefully tantalizing nutshell. Join us nexttime when we talk about…well, what would you like us to talk about?

Interesting... I like what I see. I think it's a little risk to change the classic, but the fluff reasons for it make a lot of sense. Will DMB rules still allow for a classic Barbagula? I may have to play out a battle to test that claim - can classic compete with the new model? If I work it into a campaign, the classic would probably go to a higher level (old school) mech jockey, while the new and improved goes to an up-and-coming mech jockey, who is then taught not to place too much stock into always new-and-improved. Learn to use one model well - plumb it for hidden wellsprings of strength that many overlook. Superior tactics can allow David to take down Goliath.

Clearly I've taken this fluff as a challenge. But a good-spirited challenge.

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